Running a rental operation can be a pretty solid business but sometimes, setting the right rent price can be quite challenging. Obviously, you don't want to set the rent too low because there is no point in running an operation that does not generate any profits for you. At the same time, you do not want to price your property too high because then you will not be able to attract tenants. Thus, the challenge is to find the middle ground.

Here are a few tips on how you can find the optimal rent price for your property:

Know the Value of Your Property:

First and foremost, you need to know how much your property is worth. This can be done by conducting a real estate market analysis. The value of your property is generally dependant on the property's location, size, age, conditions, improvements and enhancements, various features, amenities etc.

Calculate the Rent Based on the Value:

The general rule of thumb is to charge the rent in the range of 0.8 to 1.1% of your property's value. For a property that is worth $100,000 or less, you can charge between 1 to 1.1% and for properties that are worth $350,000 or more, you can calculate the rent at 0.8% of your property's market value.

Know the Market Rate:

While that formula for calculating the rent will give you a basic rent price that makes sense, you also need to check the rental rates around your property. If your rent is too high compared to similar properties in your area, then there is a very high probability that your property will not be an attractive option for prospective tenants. The most effective strategy in such a scenario is to charge a similar rent price as long as you know that these properties are similar in size, resources and other aspects. However, if you distinctly have something better to offer, then you can go ahead and charge a higher price for that particular feature. For e.g. if your property has a better view compared to another, similar sized property in your area, you can demand a higher rent price. Similarly, if your bedrooms are bigger or if your property has extra bathrooms, you can put a price on that. If you provide more utilities or have more amenities, go right ahead and maximize your profits based on the features you offer on your property. The key thing to remember is that you should have something value to offer. Charging tenants exorbitant rates for something that is already available at a lower price makes no business sense.

Follow the Basic Principle of Demand and Supply:

It is a given that any product/service, when in demand, can command a higher price. Rent prices are no different. If you have a seasonal property for instance, a beach house or a lake house, a cottage near the falls etc. you know that you can charge a higher rent during summer and spring as those are the months when more people rent cottages, beach houses etc. During off-peak months, you can offer discounts and promotions so that you can still generate some income. The lower price during low demand months can easily be compensated during your peak months. It's just changing the rent as per the market dynamics of demand and supply which can be a very effective pricing strategy.

Renting your Airbnb Property:

If you have a property on Airbnb, you can still follow the same strategies that apply to traditional properties but with some small amendments. Many properties on Airbnb charge their tenants a nightly rate. You can determine this rate by simply dividing your monthly rent by 30. Thiswill give you an approximate rent price per night. You should also compare your nightly rate to the rent rate of similar properties around the location of your property. If you want to stand out, you can offer added utilities or amenities that are not offered by other properties. Another good way of attracting prospective tenants is to offer a low rent price. This is especially useful for owners who are new to Airbnb and do not have any reviews or credibility on thesite. Once you have a few good tenants and some reviews, you can slowly increase your rent. This way you establish credibility and can attract better tenants. Airbnb rent prices are also dependent on demand. Prices per night can be higher during weekends, long weekends, summer and spring season, special events and festivals etc.

Keep in mind that your rental property is an investment and you need to ensure that as long as you keep within the market rates, your goal is to generate profits on your investment. This does not mean that you charge atrocious rent prices but this does mean that you understand the property area, the market, the rent trends, the high and low seasons and the property value and you use all these factors to determine the optimum rent price for your property.